INFJ mistyped as INTP?

I have been analyzing the Myers Briggs system for a while. I initially tested as an INTP many times. The profiles never quite fit me in a few ways. The only thing I had in common with INTPs was my love of learning/analyzing pretty much everything. I then realized that I was an F. Possibly, I thought, I was an INFP. I read the descriptions of INFPs and it fit better, in regards for being more romantic, etc...however, it still didn't fit quite well. By chance I was reading an INFJ profile and I noticed their functions were as follows:

I know myself well enough to know this is not true of me. I definitely use my Introverted Intuitive function the most. After that comes Fe. This was the hard part for me to understand. I might have been in denial or not fully aware of it. I thought I was a thinking type because I like to learn and I have a tendency to be intellectual. For a while I equated Fe with being irrational and even not as intelligent. However, I realized that I value empathy and compassion over justice, etc. Whenever I get extremely upset, it was always over the state of the world in regards to how people or treated unfairly and how it did not make sense, or how I felt purposeless and without meaning or identity. I definitely know I am not Fi (ruling out INFP) because I cannot relate to that mind set. I also noticed most INFPs I know, I get along with to a certain point, but there is a weird tension between us. We get each other but function differently. I may be able to be intellectual but at the core I cannot grapple with this sense of having no meaning or identity. It shatters my life. I also talked to my truly NT friends and realized the way they process things is different. Although I know they have emotions, they seem cold to me at times because of their very logical nature. I don't quite understand that mentality of predominately thinking logically in order to living happy and healthily. I am not inherently logical and look more to how I feel about things and my place in the world. I am constantly asking "What is my purpose?" and look for ways to derive meaning and value from things as well as understand them in that context. I am open to emotions. NTs shut down when prodded and seek to rationalize or ignore emotions in order to do whatever it is they need to do. I fundamentally cannot do this. I did however come to understand I use my Thinking function as a defense mechanism against feeling when mentally unhealthy.

It was easy for me to come to terms with being an INFX. I could not decide whether I was a P or a J. I realized that as a child I was most definitely a J. As I grew older I had a few traumatic experiences which stopped me in my tracks and perhaps under this stress I shut down. On the outside it would appear I was a strong P. As I have gotten older and overcome these issues my J has come out more. I think because I am now mentally healthy my type seems more obvious. I have read in more than one place though, that for INFJs, external organization will not equal internal organization. This is what I highly identified with. My "inner world" is very organized. I set goals for what I want to do and will spend a lot of time laying out a plan and milestones for the long term goal (usually in my head... though I have scraps of paper with scribblely plans on them lying around) I do adhere to this. Before I do something I like to know what I'm getting into which I didn't notice about myself initially. I always ask something like "And what will that entail?" "How long will it be?" etc... When confronted with something so I can make a decision about it easily and quickly. Once I decide though I am comfortable with it. I hate not having a plan/idea of what I will be doing. I am uncomfortable when things are open or undefined in a literal sense. (especially in regards to goals or relationships) I want to be able to categorize things and put them into the larger frame work so it all fits together because this is the only way the things I want will work out. If I did not do this nothing would get done and I would be in a rut. When emotionally traumatized I shut down in this way. Self-sabotage I suppose.
this sums it up well especially the constant redefining priorities to get things done:

INFJs place great importance on having things orderly and systematic in their outer world. They put a lot of energy into identifying the best system for getting things done, and constantly define and re-define the priorities in their lives. On the other hand, INFJs operate within themselves on an intuitive basis which is entirely spontaneous. They know things intuitively, without being able to pinpoint why, and without detailed knowledge of the subject at hand. They are usually right, and they usually know it. Consequently, INFJs put a tremendous amount of faith into their instincts and intuitions. This is something of a conflict between the inner and outer worlds, and may result in the INFJ not being as organized as other Judging types tend to be. Or we may see some signs of disarray in an otherwise orderly tendency, such as a consistently messy desk.

as a side note my Socionics type is INFp which is equal to a Myers Briggs INFJ...or so I have heard. I have always tested as this. I also always test as a Enneagram 4w5. I remembered reading somewhere that INFJs are most commnly 4s...I have no idea how true this is.

also I am shamelessly attracted to ENTPs, what I consider my perfect type for a partner. We are both Ns which is essential. We can communicate. But all the other functions complement each other, like a puzzle piece. To me it seem they would be an ideal match for an INFJ.

I will say this is the first time I really felt like a Myers Briggs typed described me in the best way. These websites really confirmed my thoughts and helped me understand this better.

Ok, I am extremely sick of talking about myself. Sorry that was long but I am actually primarily interested if anyone else has mistyped themselves like this or had a similar experience, thus the lengthy discussion. Why do you think this confusion happens?

It's happened before. I think it may be because both are introverted intuitive types, and INFJs may confuse their Ni-Ti for a dominant Ti. Ni can seem like "thinking" in the common sense of the word.

Originally Posted by Nyx

I am uncomfortable when things are open or undefined in a literal sense. (especially in regards to goals or relationships) I want to be able to categorize things and put them into the larger frame work so it all fits together because this is the only way the things I want will work out. If I did not do this nothing would get done and I would be in a rut.

I'm the same way. I'm not entirely comfortable when things are "up in the air."

I also always test as a Enneagram 4w5. I remembered reading somewhere that INFJs are most commnly 4s...I have no idea how true this is.

I've heard INFJ 1, 4, 5, and 9 most often. 4 and 9 are probably the most common.

Welcome to your INFJness (not that you weren't always). It'll be a fun ride.

I think it's because we don't relate well to Keirsey's NF archetype. It's just not as natural for us as NFPs. We tend to see ourselves as more intellectual than spiritual/emotional, even if we're compassionate, concerned with image, and focused on social issues.

I think it also happens because we can resemble INTPs if we get caught in an Ni-Ti self-analysis loop. Introverts often fall prey to the tertiary temptation and end up using their dominant and tertiary more often than their auxiliary, which is what they "should" use to break the loop, but often don't want to because it would force them to focus on the outer world.

I think I'm a 9w1. I used to think 4w5, but I realized I'm not all that emotionally concerned with identity as much as harmony, I'm just extremely curious about the nature of identity.

I've been on INTJf, and I've noticed that there are an awful lot of "INTJs" who talk about how they've stopped helping and concerning themselves with people who don't deserve it, and finally learned to embrace their "natural coldness"... at about age 25. Yeah, I have a feeling INTJs, INFJs, and INTPs tend to mistake themselves for one another a LOT.

Oh, and I normally have an avatar of a person's face. My current one is because I'm trying to REALLY get into computer networking, as I'm trying to find a career associated with that. In case you were wondering.

It would seem so...those are the functions of an INFJ, the fourth being Se.

hm.. my fourth function is Fi, according to the cognitiveprocesses.com assessment.

i relate to your OP about trauma and P-type behavior; interesting to think about.

reading over the infjorinfp link about communication styles, i deduced that i definitely communicate more like a permissive P...though my internal dialogue is probably more J , and when i'm working with children, i tend to be equally directive and informative.

I think it's because we don't relate well to Keirsey's NF archetype. It's just not as natural for us as NFPs. We tend to see ourselves as more intellectual than spiritual/emotional, even if we're compassionate, concerned with image, and focused on social issues.

I think it also happens because we can resemble INTPs if we get caught in an Ni-Ti self-analysis loop. Introverts often fall prey to the tertiary temptation and end up using their dominant and tertiary more often than their auxiliary, which is what they "should" use to break the loop, but often don't want to because it would force them to focus on the outer world.

this may be true for you, appearing to have Ti as your aux/tert function, but it isn't true for me, having a lot of F in place of T for some reasons i'm still trying to fathom.

Ni/Ti/Fe/Si
4w5 5w4 1w9

~Torah observant, Christ inspired~
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